‘Life’s A Breeze’ star Pat Shortt was already firmly established as one of Ireland’s best loved and most recognisable comedy actors - for roles in ‘Killinascully’, ‘Mattie’ and ‘Father Ted’ - when Lenny Abrahamson’s ‘Garage’ changed everything and set his career on a new trajectory.
Not only did it prove that Shortt had a previously untapped talent for dramatic acting - which earned him the IFTA award for Best Actor in 2008 - but it laid to rest any doubts that he could carry a film on his shoulders and move audiences without resorting to punchlines.
Ahead of the Irish cinema release of ‘Life’s A Breeze’ on 19th July, IFTN caught up with Pat Shortt to discuss his latest role, the themes that resonate with modern day Irish audiences and the current challenges facing the Irish film industry.
Mr Shortt, your character Colm in ‘Life’s A Breeze’ is very much a victim of the recession - unemployed, washed up and living alone with his elderly mother. What was the main thing that attracted you to the part - the themes involved or the prospect of working with Lance Daly and Fionnula Flanagan? It was a combination of all of those. When the role came up first, my agent rang and said Lance would like to meet me with a view to doing the film. I hadn’t heard anything about it at that stage. I got the script sent on to me and read it and thought it was a lovely story. It reminded me of Roddy Doyle films like ‘The Snapper’ and ‘The Van’, and that genre - which I was always a huge fan of - and then after seeing Lance’s film ‘Kisses’, I was blown away by that as well. When all those factors were taken into account, it was an easy enough decision. And then there was Fionnula Flanagan, who I’d met a few years previously around the time of ‘Garage’. Lenny Abrahamson introduced me to her and I met her on one or two occasions, and was mad about her, and started following her career more after that. So when the opportunity arose to work with her, it was fantastic.
Do you believe that the film’s theme of losing your life savings will strike a powerful chord with modern day Irish audiences? I think everybody has lost something in the financial crisis. We’ve lost pensions or investments or had our salaries cut because of government levies and so on, so I think that resonates with everybody in one shape or form. I mentioned the Roddy Doyle films - they were set just after the last recession in the 80s and reflected those times. I think with ‘Life’s A Breeze’ there’s certainly an element of good timing. Somebody said to me the other day you couldn’t have a better week for it to come out with someone in Ireland just after winning the Euromillions lotto, so it’s very timely.
Since starring in Lenny Abrahamson’s ‘Garage’ and winning the IFTA for Best Actor in 2008, did the perception of you as an actor change in the industry and has it affected the types of roles you were offered from that point on? I think rather than directors suddenly taking me seriously, it was more they got a shock and realised that I could actually act. It’s the problem of this business that people tend to pigeon-hole you. Comedy is viewed like that and very few people can break that mould. I’ve always loved acting and loved straight acting but never had any major roles like that until ‘Garage’ came along. That was a particular opportunity to really carry a role. I think what it meant was that people no longer had a fear of me being able to carry a role. As one of the leads in ‘Life’s A Breeze’, that’s no longer an issue. Right now I’m acting in a major role in the West End in ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’, with Daniel Radcliffe, so a lot of these things can be traced back to ‘Garage’.
What was it like acting opposite Fionnula Flanagan and Kelly Thornton in her debut role? Fionnula was amazing. She’s very relaxed and cool. Nothing fazes her. She’s been on more sets than I’ve had dinners, so it was great to have that solid individual there and watch how she works. There are no airs and graces about her. No prima donna behaviour or any of that rubbish. She is very much an actress who was brilliant to work with. And then there was Kelly, who’s only 14 but would knock the socks off you! She was very cool and in between scenes it was great fun working with her too.
Did you have any acting advice for her? No, she wouldn’t listen to me anyway! Haha!
One of the most impressive scenes in ‘Life’s A Breeze’ is when Kelly pulls a prank on you and makes you believe you’ve won the Lotto and you go through the whole range of emotions from disbelief and joy to crushing disappointment and humiliation. Was that challenging to pull off as an actor? Those scenes are difficult because the way they’re filmed is disjointed and the cameras are always moving around. If you were doing it on stage, you’d run the full gamut of emotions one after another and you’d know when your beats were coming. But in film you’ve got to stop, go away - come back an hour later when they’ve moved the lights around and moved a wall in the set out of the way - and then find where you left off. That’s when you’ve got to keep your focus, for a day like that. And there’s also the fact that you’re running around with your belly out in front of everyone which isn’t that enamouring! But that’s part of the game. I think Lance covered it really well and it’s one of the better scenes in the film.
Can you tell us about the part you recently filmed for John Michael McDonagh’s ‘Calvary’ with Brendan Gleeson? I’m in quite a few scenes as the barman, so a lot of characters come into the bar. I acted opposite Brendan, Aiden Gillen and Killian Scott. I remember reading the script and seeing that Brendan is in every scene and the other roles are supporting ones. It’s an interesting film and I can’t talk too much about it because it’s one of those ‘whodunnit’ type films so I’m nervous about saying something that would give it away. And I’m not sure how it was cut and put together. But I believe it’s fantastic. I was talking to someone in London the other day who has seen it and said it was really good.
Another one of your major roles in recent years was ‘Mattie’, which was filmed in Limerick city. Was it important for you in making that series to counteract the negative stereotypes about Limerick or was that something you were conscious of at the time? It was more not to make a point of it and it was good to make a comedy about cops in Limerick - but at the end of the day the people of Limerick and a lot of the Gardaí are good friends of mine. Everyday life in Limerick is the same as any other regional city in Ireland and the people live ordinary lives. So from that point of view it was important we did it, just to show that things are rocking down there same as everywhere else!
Are you looking forward to audience reaction to ‘Life’s A Breeze’ as it premieres this week at the Galway Film Fleadh and gets a cinema release in Ireland this month? Unfortunately I won’t be in Galway myself and I would love to be, but I’m going to be on to Lance on the night to see how it is received. Any journalists I have been talking to so far about the film have been raving about it. I think it’s going to get a very good reaction and it’s the right time for it. I think Lance is a great director so I’m delighted for him and everybody involved.
Any plans to work with Lance Daly or Lenny Abrahamson again in the near future? Nothing I can talk about at the moment. I have a few things on the boil. I would love to work with both of them again if the right project comes along and I think it will. I was talking to Lenny Abrahamson after ‘Frank’ and it will all happen eventually. That’s the great thing about the film industry in Ireland - it’s easy to communicate with people and work things out.
Would you see the Irish film industry as being in a strong position at the moment compared to other territories or what’s your take on it? I was talking to producers here in London over the last few weeks and they said - their words, not mine - that we’re in a golden age of Irish actors. When we look back at this time in 10 or 20 years, people will think that. If you look at ‘The Hobbit’, there are loads of Irish actors in that. If you look at Colin Farrell and Michael Fassbender and what they’re doing, it’s mind blowing. And I went out the other night in London and saw so many Irish actors. We’re on every stage over here in the West End at the moment. So it is a fantastic time for Irish actors. It’s difficult times for production in Ireland because there’s not enough money for television and the UK are coming into play with their own tax incentives relief for film and TV, so that’s going to have a knock-on effect for Ireland. We did have a long run of it where it was a no-brainer to come to film in Ireland. Now it’s more competitive. I wouldn’t say it’s going to stop us and I know there’s still some big stuff coming in. But we have a good reputation, good actors and good crews and there’s no reason why the industry shouldn’t keep going. I think there’s change happening in RTE at the moment and there are good people at the helm who will turn things about. All these things take time. It’s a difficult time but if we can get through it we’ll be fine!
‘Life’s A Breeze’, distributed by Wildcard, is released in Irish cinemas on 19th July.
An Irish-Swedish co-production between Fastnet Films and Anagram Produktions, ‘Life’s A Breeze’ is produced by Fastnet’s Macdara Kelleher, Tomas Eskilsson and Martin Persson of Anagram Produktion.
The film was funded by the Irish Film Board, BAI, Setanta Ireland, Film I Vast, Magnolia Distributions, Section 481, Eurimages and The Swedish Film Institute.
